Chapter 16: Becoming Whole Again

Chloe felt unusually distracted that night in her room. She decisively closed the book in front of her and rubbed her temples. No matter how much she tried to deny it, the scene she had witnessed earlier with Julian had affected her deeply. She never imagined that one day Julian would provoke such intense emotions in her. Despite her efforts to move on and tell herself that the past was behind her, she couldn’t shake off the image of Julian kissing Layla. It played over and over in her mind, and the more she tried to focus, the more unsettled she became. Walking into the kitchen, Chloe poured herself a glass of ice-cold water and drank it, hoping to clear her head. She couldn’t allow Julian to continue influencing her emotions. She had no time to waste—every lost day was a setback. There were people who still believed in her, and the last thing she wanted was to disappoint them. After regaining some composure, she returned to her desk and opened the books Lauren had given her. They